Family Secrets
by KatherineLynn
Summary: Draco Malfoy has been trained as a killing machine. Hermione Granger is just a normal girl. Can she revert Draco Malfoy back to a normal boy? What secrets are the Weasleys and the Malfoys hiding? Dramione.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Yes, I am back. Yes, I know this isn't The Life I Loved. I know, Hermione's dead in that story. I know, you all hate me now. Don't fear, in time will come a sequel to that story. However, this is not it. This is a brand spanking new story. I hope I haven't lost too many readers while I was getting settled on campus. And I should probably inform you that my updates will be sporadic, and irregular. I have way too much homework now…unfortunately.

Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine. Sorry, everyone.

Chapter One: Hate Life!

Harry Potter had never been happier in his entire seventeen years. He was lounging under a huge apple tree with one arm holding his broomstick and his other hand holding his girlfriend, Ginny Weasley. The sun was just starting to sink, and the sky was shot with pink, gold, and violet, making the Burrow look like it belonged on a postcard instead of an empty field. Ginny's blue eyes looked electric, and her hair looked combustible. He buried his nose in it and smelled her shampoo, a delicious mixture of strawberries and honey.

"Oi!" Ron called out, floating about ten feet off the ground. "Are you going to get on that broom or what?" He did a quick loop, and righted himself when Hermione yelped in fear. Ever since he and Hermione had started dating at the end of sixth year, Hermione had cared a lot more about the crazy stunts Ron did on his broom and had done her best to keep them toned down. She didn't want him falling off and breaking his neck.

Harry leaned over and gave Ginny a swift kiss on the cheek, and leaped onto his broom, hurtling over to Ron in a matter of a few seconds. Ron scooted back a little, and guarded the apple in his hand protectively.

"No touching my Quaffle," he said, lowering his voice to a growl. Hermione chuckled, and Ginny snorted. Harry just rolled his eyes, stuck his hand out, and knocked the apple to the ground.

"Oops."

Ron stared at the ground, his mouth open in silent protest, and Harry swooped down to retrieve his "Quaffle". He tossed it back up to Ron, who deftly caught it, and zoomed off. Harry allowed him three seconds before he followed.

Hermione settled down beside Ginny and they gossiped about the two boys flying in gleeful circles above them. School was set to start in a week. Seventh year for the Golden Trio would begin, and sixth year would being for Ginny. Even Hermione was reluctant for it to start. Being away from the family would mean they wouldn't have any idea what was going on with the Order until break.

She knew Harry and Ron were going to be snappy and jumpy the whole time. Peace would only come when Voldemort was vanquished. But for the time being, she was enjoying the short reprieve from evil.

She and Ginny turned their faces to the retreating sun and closed their eyes, surrounded by their respective thoughts.

*****

Draco Malfoy reached up and wiped the sweat off his pale brow, completely forgetting that his sleeve was already saturated with his sweat. Fenrir Greyback circled around him, his hands extended at his sides, his face pulled tight in a war grimace. Lucius Malfoy was watching from a high backed mahogany chair that he had made Draco carry in before the fight had begun.

It was Lucius's idea to make Draco learn to fight without a wand. Muggle-fighting, as Draco called it, would be very beneficial on the battle field if Draco lost his wand. However, Draco, while he was highly opposed to the idea of fighting like a caveman, had a certain aptitude for it.

He had pinned Fenrir again and again, and the werewolf's nerves were wearing thin. His face had tightened around his features, making him look more wolf than man. Draco had to reassure himself that it was nowhere near the full moon, and Greyback was just angry that he was losing to a seventeen year old boy.

Although after a summer of intense physical, magical, and mental training, Draco hardly looked seventeen anymore. He looked like he could pass for twenty years old, with his broad shoulders filled with muscle and his custom black suits fit him in all the right places. His white blonde hair was no longer slicked back, but fell in jagged spikes around his face and ears. His grey eyes looked hardened and dangerous, and his nose was slightly crooked, if you looked close enough.

But when he smiled, he still had that boyish quality that made girls swoon. However, he didn't do much smiling anymore. Now he was nothing but what his father called "a killing machine." His father had taught him how to fight with his hands, with his wand, his mind, and a sword.

Why a sword, Draco had no idea. All he knew was it made him feel powerful.

Fenrir lunged, and Draco slid to the side, letting the huge man shoot right past him. They had been fighting for over two hours, and Draco was tiring of the game. It was a lot less of a hassle to just let Greyback keep missing.

It also kept the werewolf a little less humiliated.

Greyback had long given up beating Draco, but Lucius made him come back every other day to fight his son. Lucius had some sort of power over the werewolf, something that Draco had noticed when Greyback didn't tear him to shreds the first time Draco had decked him. At the beginning, he was scared to hurt the werewolf, not wanting to face the consequences that would surely come back to him if he angered him.

So when he refused to fight, his father took him into his study for a "talk". Draco had emerged a different person. His mother even said he looked distant, less human. His father had broken something in him, and while Draco was sure it had happened, he couldn't quite put his finger on what had happened. Sometimes, casting the Cruciatus curse one too many times makes a person go mad. And sometimes, it just breaks you.

Draco Malfoy was broken. He still had flashes of feelings like guilt, or affection, mostly to his mother, and fear, but it was quickly squashed by adrenaline, or hate.

Draco Malfoy hated life.

*****

Remus Lupin held tightly to Tonks's hand, pulling her through the tight crowd in the Ministry of Magic with his head down and hoping her hair stayed an inconspicuous color. He gently moved through the crowd like water, doing his best to stay unnoticed. If a high ranking Ministry official saw them here, they would be dead for sure. They weren't sure how many people were under Voldemort's control, but it would be prudent to assume it was almost everyone.

The Ministry had fallen, and Tonks and Lupin were right smack in the middle of the lion's den. He glanced back to lock eyes with Tonks for a millisecond, and ran smack into a small brick wall. He turned and lowered his line of vision.

He was looking straight at Dolores Umbridge.

"Well, what do we have here?" she purred, taking a step toward the pair. Lupin took a hasty step back, and Tonks mirrored him. She slowly reached her hand inside her robes and pulled out her wand.

"We were just on our way out, Dolores," Lupin said calmly, hoping she would let them pass.

He knew it was futile before she even opened her mouth. She already had her wand in her hand.

"Now now," she said, her voice still kept low. "There's a few Ministry officials that would like to speak to you."

Lupin stood his ground this time, trying to look unaffected. "Can't we see them tomorrow? We have a few errands to run before it gets dark," he gestured in the general direction of outside, even though the entire Ministry was underground. She didn't even look.

"I'm sorry, but they need to speak with you immediately. They've been looking for you for quite some time. But you've known that, haven't you? You made your house Unplottable, you stopped returning owls, you haven't seen sunlight for weeks," she reached up and seized his face, taking in his pallid skin.

"I've just been busy," Lupin replied lamely. Tonks muttered something next to him, crouching low behind his back. Something silver shimmered by the tip of her wand, and disappeared. He relaxed a little, then reached into his robes and pulled out his wand. He pointed it lazily at Dolores.

"We aren't doing anything wrong, Dolores," his voice was quiet, persuasive. "Just let us go on our way."

Dolores drew her wand so fast, Lupin barely had time to react. Her spell had him flat on his back in no time. He leaped up, conjuring strength and agility from his forgotten teenage years. He threw up a shield in a desperate attempt to field off the ropes she shot at him. They rebounded on her and wrapped around her ankles. She wavered, then fell, and Lupin pounced. He had his wand at her throat.

"Remus," Tonks murmured anxiously, pulling at his sleeve. He glanced up, and stumbled backwards. There were Ministry officials all around them, with wands pointed at their hearts. Their stances said they were hardly questioning which side they were on.

"Surrender," one of them said.

Remus scoffed. "Hardly."

*****

A shining silver wolf stared Hermione Granger in the face, and opened its mouth to speak. Hermione was startled by Nymphadora Tonk's voice that reverberated around the small orchard.

"Bring as many people as you can to the Ministry. We're under attack."

She and Ginny exchanged a quick look of panic before they jumped to their feet. Hermione tried to wave Ron and Harry down, but they were too high up to notice or hear her. She pointed her wand to her throat. "Sonorus," she said.

"OI!" Her voice echoed loudly, and Ron screeched to a stop in mid-air and barely managed to hold on to his broom.

"TONKS AND LUPIN ARE IN TROUBLE! GET YOUR ARSES DOWN HERE AND LET'S GO!"

Seconds later, she was flanked by Ron and Harry, whose faces were pale beneath their rosy post-Quidditch cheeks.

She batted aside a flurry of questions and led the way back to the Burrow, where Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were already rounding up the rest of the house's occupants. Fred, George, Charlie, Bill, and Fleur were all holding their wands aloft and had their battle faces on.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, even though she already knew.

"Dolores Umbridge attacked Lupin and Tonks as they were leaving the Ministry," Mr. Weasley said, running a hand through his thinning red hair.

"Why were they at the Ministry anyway?" Harry asked.

The two grownups exchanged a glance but said nothing. Hermione was sure that Mrs. Weasley's gaze lingered on her for a moment too long. "Let's just go," she heard herself saying.

They threw handful after handful of powder into the flames and seconds later, they were gone.

*****

Draco, his father, Bellatrix, and Lucius arrived at the Ministry at the same time as the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione. Hermione raised her wand and shot a curse straight at Draco Malfoy, who deflected it with a flick of a wrist.

Harry widened his eyes a little at Hermione, and she just shrugged. They separated, all taking their own opponent. Draco tried to scoot closer to Harry, but Hermione shot another curse at him, and he turned his attention to her.

He looked different than he did before the summer break. He had filled out more, and his face looked meaner. His normal sneer was gone, replaced with a permanent look of indifference. He looked somehow older now, maybe even scarier. He made no move to attack her yet, just lazily repelled every curse she threw at him, without even speaking.

She decided to take a leaf out of his book, and she stopped yelling curses, and instead started flinging them without a sound. He didn't even flinch, he just kept repelling them.

Death Eaters were falling all around them, and Fred went down. Tonks was bleeding, and Ron was Stunned. Hermione was growing frustrated. Draco still hadn't tried to attack her. She moved to taunts.

"What, are you afraid to attack a girl Malfoy?" she called out, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

He didn't respond.

"I thought Malfoys were winners," she kept on. She continued until her voice grew hoarse, and her wand arm was growing tired. Malfoy showed no signs of fatigue.

"You are a disgrace to the Malfoy name!" She called out desperately. With a loud bang, she flew from her stance until she hit the wall.

She slid down the wall, struggling to stay conscious. She blearily glanced toward Malfoy, who had turned without a glance in her direction and started fighting someone else.

She had never lost a fight in her life.

Hermione Granger hated life.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Yeah, I'm actually going to update. Thanks to all the reviews.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter Two: Red Darkness.

Hermione twisted her neck around, grimacing at the satisfying cracks she heard. Ginny raised her eyebrows at her from the seat beside her, but didn't say anything.

"Your neck still bothering you?" Ron asked, swiveling his neck as Hermione watched in envy. Mr. Weasley glanced at her worriedly from the review mirror, but managed to stay on the road. Hermione just stared at Ron reproachfully, until he returned his gaze forward. She hated being coddled like a child. It was her fault that Malfoy had gotten a curse in. It was her fault that both Malfoys had escaped unscathed, and she didn't even want to remember that night at all. And Ron, the winner of the tactlessness award, just kept bringing it up.

"I mean, seriously, Herm, you really shouldn't be beating yourself up about this," he reasoned, reaching for her hand. Hermione chose that moment to brush her hair away from her face. Ron watched her with a slightly confused look on his face, and returned his hand to his pocket.

"Something was different about Malfoy," Harry agreed. "He wasn't acting like a sniveling little ferret like normal. He was…fighting."

Ginny glared at him.

"What?" Harry asked, exasperated. "Are all the females in this car going to just stare death rays and not speak?"

Hermione and Ginny chose not to answer, but only to glare.

Ron and Harry fell silent. Mr. Weasley gave Hermione an apologetic look from the review mirror. "At least Tonks and Remus are ok," he said soothingly. Hermione's face softened. Her lost skirmish aside, she had really fought admirably. And she had managed to Stun Dolores Umbridge, something many people in Britain would have liked to accomplish. She gave Mr. Weasley a grateful smile in return.

The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione arrived to Diagon Alley in a flurry of activity. Mrs. Weasley didn't want to let any of the Golden Trio go out on their own, and she was adamant at keeping Ginny by her side. Ginny whined incredibly, and Harry chuckled, earning himself a smack on the back of the head. Mr. Weasley suggested that he would take the Golden Trio and Mrs. Weasley could take Ginny, and she shot her loving father a look of absolute death.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley continued to rearrange everyone in different groups before Harry finally, mercifully asked if they could all just get going in one group. Mrs. Weasley looked pleased, and Ginny relieved.

"Ok, then," Mrs. Weasley tutted. "We have everyone's letters," she passed all the letters around, and Hermione realized that her letter was a little bit fatter than all the others. She tore it open and scanned through her list. She, of course, was taking more subjects than the two boys, but she was searching for the announcement that she was Head Girl. There wasn't one.

She lowered her hand with the letter in it in disappointment. Mr. Weasley held out his hand and she handed him the envelope. He turned it over in his hand and held his arm out again. In the palm of his hand was a shiny badge.

Hermione grinned and whooped much like Ron. Harry clapped for her, but Ron looked sulky. There was no badge in his envelope. Hermione, with a pang, realized that Head Boy and Girl shared quarters. Ron wanted that privilege, but it wasn't granted. His girlfriend was going to be spending a lot of time with some other guy.

*****

Draco Malfoy was angry. He was used to the feeling by now, but it was hardly ever coupled with hurt. He held his shiny Head Boy badge in his hand, much like Hermione had been doing. He had called for his father the second he had gotten the letter, knowing for a fact that the badge was in there. His father had just stared as his son waited for the praise he was sure was coming.

But it didn't.

"This means nothing if you can't use it to some advantage for the Dark Lord," his father had sneered. "By all means, be happy. I'll be even more impressed when you're number one in your graduating class.

So the only way to make his father proud was to do the impossible. He had to beat Hermione Granger at school work. There was no way he could ever accomplish that! He hadn't responded, just closed his hand tightly around the badge until the needle punctured through his skin and a small trickle of blood ran out from between his clenched fist.

He and his father and his mother were all supposed to go to Diagon Alley that afternoon. Draco had been looking forward to it, to an extent. He had thought it would be full of his father's praises. His son, Head Boy, the highest honor Hogwarts School could offer. And it was given to Wizarding royalty, the Slytherin Prince. But that was a moot point now.

Draco grabbed his pouch of Galleons from his bedside table and stalked out of the Manor, knowing by now how to remain invisible without even speaking the Disillusionment charm. He knew all the security measures of the house that were used to not only keep intruders out, but to keep Narcissa and Draco in.

His father's training was about to pay off. Big time.

*****

"What about this one?" Ginny asked, holding up red dress robes for Hermione to see. Hermione grinned, then shook her head.

"Your red hair and the red dress with be too much Gin," she said, still flipping through the racks. She snatched up an emerald green one. "Try this one," she said.

"Gross, I'll look like Christmas," Ginny snorted. She held up a gold one.

Hermione just shrugged. "Try it."

Ginny grinned at her and tossed the red one her way. "Try this one, then," she said. Hermione grimaced and moved away, letting the dress fall to the floor without touching it.

"I would rather not," she said imperiously.

Ginny grabbed the dress and threw it over Hermione's shoulder and yanked her toward the dressing room. "You are going to try it on, you are going to show me, and you are going to like it," she said, and shoved her through a curtain.

"Giiiiiiiinnnnnnyyy," Hermione whined.

"I don't want to hear it!" she called back. She started humming a happy tune, mostly to drown out Hermione's grumblings from next door. She stepped out of the dressing room only a few minutes later, dressed in her gold gown.

It fell to the floor and completely covered her feet. Her fiery red hair sparkled with highlights, and her blue eyes shined. It slid around her smooth body like water, making all her curves look graceful and classy. Harry's jaw dropped for a minute before a glare from Mrs. Weasley made him shut his jaw with a loud snap.

"You look great, little sis," Ron said, ruffling her hair. Ginny elbowed him in the gut, and he grimaced. "You know what," he said petulantly. "I take that back." He stuck out his tongue and Harry laughed.

"Oh, you'll be on your knees thanking me when you see Hermione," she said. She turned to the curtain. "Come on Herm!"

Hermione was looking at herself in the mirror. The dress was tighter than she expected, and more revealing. It was super low cut, with no back, and flowed all the way to the floor. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to feel less exposed. When Ginny called out to her, she didn't answer, but involuntarily blushed. She didn't want anyone to see her dressed like this. She felt ridiculous!

She had just resolved to take the dress off and pretend it didn't fit when Ginny yanked her out of the dressing room.

She stepped on the edge of her dress and stumbled, almost running headfirst into Ginny's torso. She straightened up, smoothed out the front of her dress, and saw the look on everyone's faces. Her entire body blushed. Ron and Harry had their mouths open, Mrs. Weasley looked as if she might faint, and Mr. Weasley was smiling at her like a proud father would before he walked his daughter down the aisle.

"Wow Herm, you look—" Ron opened and closed his mouth like a dying fish.

"Amazing!" Ginny finished, throwing her arms around her best friend's neck. "I knew this dress would be a hit!"

"Wow," Ron said from behind her. Harry, who had regained his composure, smacked him on the arm.

"Ow!"

"Well then close your mouth," Harry said impatiently. "You're drooling on yourself."

Ron turned around and hastily wiped his chin. Ginny howled with laughter and Mr. Weasley chuckled.

"That settles it," Ginny said, pushing Hermione back to the dressing room now. "You're getting it."

"But Ginny!" Hermione protested, right before her face went into the dressing room curtain. She frowned at her reflection and started putting on her normal Muggle clothes. She hung the dress on its respective hanger and wondered if Ginny would notice if she just put it back on the rack and didn't buy it. She could always buy one from Hogsmeade. She was going to get more than one set of dress robes anyway. Yes, that was the solution. She was just going to leave it here.

But when she stepped out of the dressing room, Ginny was waiting for her, her gold dress under her arm.

"Don't even think about it," she warned her, pulling her toward the register. "You're getting it."

"Ginny, I feel naked in that dress," Hermione pouted.

"You made Ron drool Hermione. Even Harry gaped at you," Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but Ginny cut her off. "Whatever, he's a boy. You will be the hit of the ball! Didn't you say you wanted people to notice you for something other than your schoolwork? Now they will."

"I would rather they remember me for my Arithmancy homework than how much skin I show at the ball," Hermione grumbled.

"Oh just buy it," Ginny snapped. She pushed Hermione in front of her and handed the red dress to the cashier. Hermione mumbled a few harsh words under her breath as she handed the cashier her money and grabbed her bag with the dress.

Hermione stomped her way out of the store and almost ran into Ron and Harry and the Weasleys. Ginny emerged from the store a few seconds later, looking extremely pleased with herself. Hermione led the way to Flourish and Blotts, happy to be going somewhere where no one cared what dress you wore.

Ron and Harry were taking Defense, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions and Herbology. Ginny was taking all those and Care of Magical Creatures. Hermione was taking Defense, Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Arithmany, Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies.

When she teetered out of the store later, carrying all her books, she was happy to hand her bag with her dress to Ron, who was attempting to carry some of her books too. The slutty dress aside, she really liked having a multitude of books again.

*****

Draco Malfoy caught sight of the Golden Trio and the Weasleys as they were leaving Flourish and Blotts, Granger looking like she was in nerd heaven with her arms nearly snapping off with all the books she was carrying. Weasel-King looked like he was having more problems than Hermione carrying books, even though he only had five and Hermione had eight. Potty looked amiable enough, carrying his and Weaselette's books, and talking to her with an annoying smile.

Draco wondered if he could take them all right now, in the middle of crowded Diagon Alley. They weren't that protected, that was for sure. He could probably star hidden and pick them off, one by one, starting with the parents. Then Weaselette, then her brother, then Potty, and then Granger. He would have fun with Granger. She was the only person he fought that gave him a little bit of trouble, if any. Even though she was entirely too easy to beat now, he had to admit she had a feisty little temper.

If she had been trained like he…

He shook the thought from his head, letting his long hair poke his eyes. He rolled his shoulders back, letting his linen shirt shift and cling to his torso, and kept walking right past the Weasel party, hoping no one would notice. If he wasn't going to pick the fight, he wasn't keen on anyone else doing it.

He rounded the corner without being spotted and glanced up at the Leaky Cauldron. His father was probably furious by now, and bound to have noticed his absence. Why not wait it out?

He stepped gracefully up the steps to the pub, glancing around one time before reaching the shelter of darkness.


End file.
